Department of Emergency Medicine

UMEM Educational Pearls

Title: What's an Arbovirus?

Category: International EM

Keywords: Arbovirus, mosquitos (PubMed Search)

Posted: 8/3/2016 by Jon Mark Hirshon, MPH, MD, PhD (Updated: 3/10/2026)
Click here to contact Jon Mark Hirshon, MPH, MD, PhD

An Arbovirus is a virus transmitted primarily by an arthropod

  • Comes from ARthropod-BOrne virus
  • Arthropods include: mosquitos, ticks, sandflies
  • Can have rare person-to-person transmission
    • Blood borne
      • Transfusion, sharing needles
    • Organ transplantation
    • Breast feeding
    • Intrauterine
    • Sexual transmission

There are a number of major arbovirus families:

The main viral family that causes substantial human disease is the Flaviviridae family.

  • Protection against mosquito bites is the best way to minimize risk for Flaviviridae infections if you are traveling in an area with these diseases.

 


Download the UMEM Pearls App!

UMEM Daily Pearls

Subscribe to daily UMEM Pearls (FREE!) via:

Email Mailing List

Browse a Pearl Category:

Browse a Pearl Author:

Search Pearls
Loading…
Loading the web debug toolbar…
Attempt #